November was a time for celebration in joshi.
Sendai Girls celebrated Mika Iwata’s 10th anniversary while ChocoPro paid tribute to Emi Sakura’s 30 years in the ring. Yuu got some chances to flex her muscles in both Pro Wrestling Evolution and Sendai Girls as her retirement nears. And Saya Kamitani and Miu Watanabe fans could rejoice in successful championship defenses from their faves.
Our writers watched it all and now offer you a collection of recommended matches from everywhere from Ichigaya Chocolate Square to Shinjuku FACE. We wrote about big title bouts, hidden gems, and a healthy dose of Chi Chi.
Read on to dive into the latest RESURA ROUNDUP.
Mii & Rina Amikura vs. Ayano Irie & Sakura Mizushima, AWG – Step 65 (released. Nov. 1)
Well AWG, you did it, you made a grown man cry.
This was only Mii’s 3rd match in 15 months due to her hiatus to take care of her mental health, and while that’s a completely valid reason to step away from the ring, fans couldn’t help but miss her, so it was comforting to hear she would have a proper sendoff.
She and Actwres alumni Rina Amikura faced Sakura Mizushima and none other than Ayano Irie, Mii’s former tag team partner as Twin Stars. The bell didn’t even ring and Ayano was already crying, but that didn’t stop anyone from putting on a great show, with Mii using her trusted teddy bear Kuma-chan as a weapon as always, until it was time for the whole roster to pay their respect by attacking her in a corner one by one. At one point, Ayano almost pinned Mii, but the Snow Angel lifted her friend’s head, not wanting to be the one to end the match; that honor would go to Sakura, who got the victory for her team after beating the retiree.
After the match, the retirement ceremony took place, including a slideshow with pictures of Mii’s seven-year career and a cameo from another AWG alumni, Nao Kakuta.
Mental health should always be a priority, and we’re glad Mii was able to take proper care of it and have the final match she deserved.
Recommended by: Fernando
Saya Kamitani vs. Momo Watanabe, STARDOM – Crimson Nightmare (Nov. 3)
Another heartbreak for Momo and her fanbase, but a high-quality epic under STARDOM’s bright lights.
There’s plenty to soak up in this double championship match, even for those forever pulling for Watanabe. A whirlwind of strikes. Great near-falls. A big-fight feel throughout. Momo and Kamitani unsurprisingly delivered.
It’s unclear what direction they are going to go with Saya holding the NJPW Strong Championship along with the red belt, but the ride there was major-league fun.
Recommended by: Ryan
Yuu vs. Chi Chi, Pro-Wrestling Evolution – Evolution Vol. 40 (Nov. 5)
Oh! Chi Chi. Isn’t she great?
You don’t have to be an excellent wrestler to get wrestling, and Chi Chi does get it. She knows pretty well how to perform in a ring and you can feel the fire in all that she does, and she needed that fire when she faced Yuu in singles action. Yuu’s hard chops wore down Chi Chi’s chest, while the Barbie Girl hit lots of kicks trying to knock her opponent down. It took Yuu a vicious powerbomb and a big splash to defeat Chi Chi, who only keeps improving with every match.
Recommended by: Fernando
Mei Suruga vs. AZM, ChocoPro – ChocoPro #485 Emi Sakura 30th Anniversary Cult Heroine (released Nov 7)
Blink-and-you-miss-it type of action.
Mei Suruga faces many kinds of wrestlers: rookies and veterans, men and women, technical wizards and powerhouses, but one could argue that she has her best matches with wrestlers who are able to keep up with her hyperactive high-speed style, and AZM is one of the best in the world in that regard.
Emi Sakura was celebrating her 30-year anniversary in wrestling with this show at Shinjuku FACE, and such a big event had to have a special attraction just like this, the Ace of ChocoPro vs. Stardom’s standout, AZM. Once again, these young talents met in a ring, and it was clear from the start that they were determined to deliver. Mei used her mischievous and cute-on-purpose antics, but the Neo Genesis member was having none of it. The action went outside the ring, and with a little assist from her faction partner Starlight Kid, AZM was able to take the advantage, to the point of almost tearing Mei’s arm off with a submission move, but once the Apple Girl recovered, chaos ensued and we saw nearfalls by the dozens. Ultimately, one final AZM Sushi pinned Mei for the three and the guest had her arm raised.
A match that topped their previous High Speed title match from 2022 and served as the highlight of a night that celebrated a legend such as Sakura.
Recommended by: Fernando
Chie Koishikawa vs. Sayaka, ChocoPro – ChocoPro 488 (Nov. 8)
Damn. Get your daily dose of energy here!
A fun, hard-fought battle that all had the usual whimsy of a Ichigaya Chocolate Square match paired with an extra layer of drama. Chie and Sayaka did well to make this contest feel urgent, vital, a grueling struggle. Sayaka held desperately to the edge of the mat so she wouldn’t get turned over and pinned; the two opponents brawled just outside the venue’s windows.
The details, the vibes, the chemistry, it all worked in this one.
Recommended by: Ryan
Miu Watanabe vs. J-Rod, TJPW – All Rise ‘25 (Nov. 9)
Much, much better than expected.
It is common practice for TJPW to bring gaijin wrestlers for a one-off title match to make the champion look good. Most of the time, the belt stays home, and this was no exception, but it is a welcome surprise to have such an outstanding performance by a foreigner, especially someone with such little experience.
At the latest Korakuen Hall show, Princess of Princess champion Miu Watanabe defended the title against American wrestler J-Rod, who made her Japan debut just one week earlier, defeating Kira Summer at the previous TJPW show. With only three years of experience under her belt, the former American Gladiator had one the biggest challenges of her young career. J-Rod’s imposing figure towered over Miu, but the UpUp Girl was ready to match her opponent’s strength or even surpass it. Power was the name of the game, the challenger’s impressive physique was on full display, while Miu, although muscular in her own right, had the advantage agility-wise. The champion knew she had to take things to the next level in order to win, so she hit a big spinning Tear Drop to put away J-Rod and retain the title.
As someone who hadn’t watched this wrestlers before, it was a pretty good showing on her part, while Miu looked great in her second defense.
Recommended by: Fernando
Chi Chi & Miku Kanae vs. Akira Kurogane & Ranna Yagami, Sareee-ISM Chapter IX (Nov. 11)
I will recommend Chi Chi until everyone sees how great she is.
Sareee-ISM events really are a showcase for everyone featured on the card. The vast majority of the talent seems to put an extra effort in these shows, case in point, these tag team matches featuring recurring names like Chi Chi and Miku Kanae, and the pair of Ranna Yagami and Akira Kurogane from Stardom, who both made their debuts in Sareee-ISM. Not only was it unusual to see two wrestlers from opposite factions, but they also showed good chemistry. The team of Miku and Chi Chi combined the Barbie Girl’s fighting spirit and the former Kanamic’s conviction. All four women traded their best moves, but Miku’s final German Suplex was enough to beat Akira and claim victory for her team.
Keep an eye on these girls; they will be big names.
GO CHI CHI!
Recommended by: Fernando
Sareee & Suzu Suzuki vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & Natsupoi, Sareee-ISM Chapter IX (Nov. 11)
As expected: an absolute blast. Sareee matches in general are appointment viewing but that goes double for the main events she books for herself at her own events.
I knew all the Sareee and Hashimoto exchanges would be damn good as they’ve been such great rivals over the year, but it was the other pairings that really elevated this match. Sareee and Natsupoi had strong chemistry with the baton-twirling star having to muster up all her guts to survive The Sun God’s onslaught. Suzuki and Hashimoto’s collisions were even better, in my opinion, though. Two powerhouses crashing into each other was so much fun to see.
High-octane energy throughout. Little wasted ring time. An intriguing combo of stars.
Yeah, this is something well worth adding to the watchlist.
Recommended by: Ryan
Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu vs. Lady C & Syuri, Sendai Girls (Nov. 18)
Team 200kg are making the most out of their last matches together, and this main event tag team match is a proof of that
The tag team champions faced God’s Eye members Syuri and Lady C, with the latter making her Sendai Girls debut, and after this performance, let’s hope she keeps making appearances in the promotion. Lady could have easily looked like the weakest link in this match, but she did her best to keep up with her partner and opponents. Syuri and Chihiro made magic together, while Yuu is still on her retirement tour.
Fun action, hard strikes, and overall great main event from the Sendai PIT.
Recommended by: Fernando
Mika Iwata & Miyuki Takase vs. Ryo Mizunami & Saori Anou, Sendai Girls – Mika Iwata Debut 10th Anniversary – Kick Thunder Claw Marks (Nov. 22)
To celebrate Mika Iwata’s illustrious 10-year career, you need a big match, and that’s what we got in the main event of this show.
Mika and Miyuki (known collectively as Red Energy) faced the team of the ever-charismatic Ryo Mizunami and Saori Anou, probably Mika’s best rival not named Chihiro Hashimoto. With Ryo and Miyuki battling to see who hits the hardest chops, and Mika and Saori reviving her epic rivalry, this match was a recipe for a great encounter. Red Energy worked together to neutralize the Cosmic Angels member, giving Mika the chance to put away Ryo to win this commemorative match.
Here’s to many more years of Mika Iwata.
Recommended by: Fernando
RESURA 